Aditya Pachpande is on a mission to donate 15,100 UVC COVID-19 ‘Suraksha Box’ to the underprivileged. UVC Sterilization Box; an easy sterilization method developed from regular materials that you can build at home. 
The global pandemic of Covid19 has brought in a lot of hardships for human lives and has definitely disrupted the day to day lives of the entire population. It has also awaken the urgency of cleaning and disinfecting constantly. I quickly realised that this was a big problem and something had to be done about it.
People were using various methods — from sunlight, to soap, baking soda and potassium permanganate to even hand sanitizers — to sanitise groceries, none of which were hygienic and some even harmful. All of these were tedious, time-consuming and required lots of water. I saw my family struggle with this problem, knowing others too were struggling with it, and living in fear and anxiety of catching the virus from daily grocery items. It was an unattended problem of large proportions.
Do-it-Yourself UVC Sterilization Box
I researched on it extensively, and came upon the fact that sunlight had a natural disinfectant – the ultraviolet rays – that could kill all of these harmful microbes. Over a 3-week period, I was successful in making a Do-it-Yourself UVC Sterilization Box; an easy sterilization method developed from regular materials that you can build at home.
UVC radiations provide physical disinfection and do not have residual effect. As it also provides maximum germicidal effect, it is one of the most convenient tools to disinfect packets from outside. At a time when disinfecting regularly is an essential part of our lives and will continue to be, Suraksha Box is great option.
The Suraksha Box sterilizes vegetables, groceries and everyday items using ultra violet C rays. It kills bacteria, fungi and virus, including corona family of viruses without using any chemicals. The box uses UVC light in a controlled environment to sterilise items inside it. The UVC lamp emits light of 240 nm frequency perfect to destroy viruses and bacteria on the surface of these items. The inside walls of the Suraksha Box is lined with aluminium bubble wrap that reflects UVC light evenly around the items and is also easy to clean.
The Suraksha box received Government patent
The Suraksha box received Government of India (MC&I) patent published for its unique application of UVC rays for protecting against covid-19 virus. The box has received a certification of approval from the CSIR-CMERI (an ICMR body) deeming it recommendable for sterilisation purposes. My invention has also been praised by senior scientists at ICMR.
I had initially made this for families and homes, but I wanted to test this and found this works great with the groceries and will be greatly suited in the Dadar market where vegetables and fruits can be sterilised at source. Having installed the Box at 5 places in the Dadar market, vendors and shoppers are using it before taking the vegetables home. The Box is actually reducing the stress and anxiety of vegetable vendors and customers alike and also increasing their business.
“Mission 15.1k“- Suraksha Boxes
My team of NextGenInnov8 which is a newly launched start-up and I planned to make and install 15.1k Suraksha Boxes in Indian households, especially in poor and needy homes. I have launched “Mission 15.1k” on 2nd October to donate 15,100 these COVID-19 Suraksha Boxes to the underprivileged,as homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 151st birth anniversary.
I drew inspiration from the Prime Minister’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative making my own contribution towards the “Make in India” movement. We are appealing to NGOs, Media, CSRs of corporate entities to come ahead and join hand in the mission for donating this box to the ones in need. My start-up NextGenInnov8 is running a campaign on Fuel A Dream, a crowdfunding platform with ASM Group of Institutes and Indus International School to give the Suraksha Box to government schools, small vegetables vendors and small kirana stores.
Aditya Pachpande is a Child Prodigy, Young Innovator and Entrepreneur. He is the CEO of newly launched start-up NextGenInnov8.
